Drop seat garment



June 1942- E. o. FELLROTH 2,284,953

DROP SEAT GARMENT Filed April 28, 1939 ikr Erick O. Feut'oth 'ing the guard Patented June 2, 1942 srr DROP SEAT GARMENT Erick 0. Fellroth,

to Martin Brothers Company,

Minneapolis, Minn, assignor Minneapolis,

12 Claims;

My invention relates to garments formed with a drop seat and having belt straps attached to thegarment and cooperating with loops on the drop seat for drawing the drop seat in closing position and holding the same in such position. 'An object of the inventionresides in providing a garment of such character which will be.

extremely serviceable.

An object of the invention resides in providing a garment in which the drop seat is securely held in closing position.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a garment in which the drop seat is prevented from sagging when in closing position.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing guard members on the belt straps for preventing roping of the belt straps through engagement with the loops.

A feature of the invention resides in attachmembers to the straps in proximity to the locality of attachment of said straps to the garment and in constructing the guard members so that the same thread into the loops and engage the loops to hold the loops out of engagement with the edges of the belt straps.

A feature of the invention resides in providing stops on the guard members for holding the loops in position thereon.

Another object of the invention resides in the specific construction of the guard members.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing take-up straps for the garment and in arranging the take-up straps so that the same become covered by the belt straps when the belt straps are in forward position.

Another object of the invention resides in attaching the take-up straps to the garment at the localities of attachment of the belt straps thereto.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter. illustrated and/or described.

In the drawing: 1

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a garment illustrating an embodiment of my invention and showing the drop seat in closing position.

Fig. 2 is a drop seat in partially opened position.

Fig-3 is similar to Fig. 2 taken from'the opposite side of the garment. V

Fig. 4 is a plan sectional detail view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and drawn to a greater scale.

view similar to Fig. 1 showing the :12

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the guards used with the invention.

In the use of garments formed with'drop seats, where a strap attached to the garment passes through 'a'loop ing of the strap and fraying of the edges of the same results after appreciable use. time sagging of the drop seat may occur. The instant invention overcomes these difficulties by providing a guard adapted, to be attached to each strap and protecting the edges of thestrap and preventing roping and wear thereof.

The invention may be embodied in several different types of garments, such as garments having a jacket and trouser portion combined, or abib or suspenders combined with a trouser portion, or with a trouser portion alone. For the purpose of illustrating the invention I have shown a garment, indicated in its entirety by the reference character A. This garment is of the type having abody portion Ill and a trouser portion I! connected therewith. The body por tion may consist of a jacket or any other form of supporting structure for the trouser portion, and the specific construction thereof has not been shown nor will this specification.

The garment utilizes a front l2 which forms the front of both the body portion l0 and the trouser portion H. The body portion ID has a back It which extends somewhat below the waistline of the garment and which is secured to the front'lz at the sides of the garment along scams M. The trouser portion II also includes a back I! which is secured to the front I2 along seams l8 forming a continuation of the seams is. The back I3 of the body portion I0 is constructed at the rear thereof with an opening I5. This opening is adapted to be closed by a drop .5 seat It which forms a continuation of the back I! and which is free from the garment along its lateral edges Hi. This drop'seat is constructed at its upper end with a waistband 2| which has extensions 51 projecting outwardly from the ends thereof.

Attached to the ends of the waistband 2| are two metal loops ,22 and 23. Bothof these loops being identical in construction only the loop 22 will be described in detail. This loop has a. vertical bar 59 spaced from the body of the loop to form a slot 24. This slot terminates at its ends in bights 25 and 25. The loop is formed with another vertical bar 56 spaced from the body of the loop which forms another slot 58. The extensions 51 of the waistband 2| are threaded attached to the drop seat, rop- At the same thesame be described in through the slots 58 and stitched to the waistband to hold the loops attached to the drop seat at the sides thereof.

Cooperating with the loops 22 are two belt straps 21 and 28. These belt straps are secured to the garment in proximity to the waistline of the same and at the sides thereof. In the drawing the belt straps have been shown as stitched at 29 to the seams l4. The two belt straps have secured to the ends thereof complemental fastening members 30 and 3| which are adapted to be hooked together to secure the ends of the straps to one another to hold the belt straps in operative position. These belt straps are threaded through the slots 24 in the loops 22 and 23 and serve to draw the drop seat [5 into closing position when the straps are moved forwardly and connected together.

Applied to the belt straps 21 and 28, at the locality of the attachment of the same to the" garment, are two guards 32 and 33. The guard 32 has been shown in detail in Fig. 5. guard consists of two parallel bars 34 and 35 which are connected together by means of three crossbars 36, 31 and 38. These latter bars are spaced to provide two slots 4| and 42 through which the strap 21 is threaded. By means of these bars and slots the guard is held attached to the strap. The bars 34 and 35 and the cross bars 31 and 38 form a tongue adapted to be inserted into slot 24 of the loop 22. The bars 34 and 35 are constructed with edges 43 and 44 which extend along the upper and lower edges 45 and ,46 of the belt strap 21. The distance between the edges 43 and 44 is less than the length of the slot 24 of loop 22 so that the guard 32 may enter the slot 24 of loop 21 and so that the bight 25, of the loop'may rest upon the edge 43 of the bar 34. The edges 43 and 44 are caused to converge at their ends and form a continuation of the forward edge 41 of the crossbar 38. This edge is preferably curved, as shown in Fig. 5, to facilitate entry of the tongue of the guard into the slot 24 of loop 22.

At the ends of the bars 34 and 35 are formed stops 49 which extend outwardly from the edges 43 and 44 thereof and which lie in continuation of the. bar 33. These stops prevent the loops 22 and 23 from becoming disengaged from the two guards. to the guards the two bars 34 and 35 are bent, as indicated at 5|, to cause the bar 36 to extend angularly from the plane of the bars 31 and 38. This prevents the loops from backing up along the edges43 28 are in forward position.

For the purpose of adjusting the waistline of thegarment two take-up straps 52 and 53 are employed which are secured to the garment at thelocalities of attachment of the belt straps 21 and 28 thereto. These take-up straps cooperate with buckles 54 and 55 which are attached to the front l2 of the garment, forwardly of the seams M. The straps 52 54 and 55 are so situated that, when the belt straps 21 and 28 are moved to their forward positions and secured together the said belt straps cover the take-up straps and buckles. The disposition of the parts, when the drop seat is closed, is shown in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the device the drop seat maybe closed by merely raising the two belt straps 21 and 21 and moving the same forwardly. This causes the loops 22 and 23 to ride along the straps 21 and 28 and also causes the This For further holding the loops attached and 44 when the belt straps 21 and and 53 and the buckles tongue of the guards 32 and 33 to enter the slots 24 of said loops. The belt straps 21 and 28 may then be secured together by means of the complemental fastening members 30 and 3|. When the parts are so disposed, the parts take the position shown in Fig. 4.

The advantages of my invention are manifest. An extremely simple and practical construction is produced which avoids the difficulties heretofore encountered with drop seat garments utilizing belt straps threaded through buckles. With my invention roping of the belt straps and fraying of the edges thereof is entirely prevented. By the use of the guards the waistband of the drop seat is held supported through metal to metal contact between the loops and the guards, thereby preventing sagging of the drop seat occurring through roping of the belt straps. The guards can be easily applied to and removed from the belt straps of the garment. Due to the arrangement of the take-up straps and buckles the same are completely concealed by the belt straps when the belt straps are in their forward positions.

Changes in the specific formof my invention as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1s:

1. A garment including a trouser portion having a rear opening therein, a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering said opening, said drop seat being free at the upper end and terminating substantially at the waistline of the garment, loops at the lateral portions of the drop seat situated substantially at the waistline of the drop seat, said loops having transversely extending slots with bights at the upper ends of the same, belt straps attached to the garment substantially at the waistline, one on each side of the garment, said straps being each threaded through the slot of a loop, the upper edges of the straps being adapted to be engaged by said bights of the loops, said straps being adapted to be moved together forwardly to bring the drop seat into closing position, fastening means at the free ends of the belt straps for connecting the same together, and guard members, one on each of the belt straps, said guard members each having rigid parts adapted to extend through the slots of the loops when the drop seat is in closing position, said parts having edges following along the upper edges of the belt straps and adapted to engage the bights of the loops, said guard members having other parts for holding the first named parts in proper spaced relation, said guards transferring the lateral pull from the drop seat to the belt straps in a manner to prevent roping of the belt straps.

2. A garment including a trouser portion having a rear opening therein, a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering said opening, said drop seat being free at the upper end and terminating substantially at the waistline of the garment, loops at the lateral portions of the drop seat situated substantially at the waistline of the drop seat, said loops having transversely extending slots with bights at the upper ends of the same, belt straps attached to the garment substantially at the waistline, one on each side of the garment, said straps being each threaded through the slot of a loop, the upper edges of the straps being adapted to be engaged by said free ends of the belt straps bights of the loops, said straps being adapted to be moved together forwardly to bring the drop seat into closing position, fastening means at the free ends of the belt straps for connecting the same together, and guard members, one on each of the belt straps, said guard members each having rigid parts adapted to extend through the slots of the loops when the drop seat is in closing position, said parts having edges following along the upper edges of the belt straps and adapted to engage the bights of the loops for transferring the pull from the drop seat to the belt straps in a manner to prevent roping of the belt straps,

said edges receding inwardly from the edges of e the belt straps to facilitate insertion of the guards into the slots of the loop.

3. A garment including a trouser portion having a rear opening therein,-a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering said opening, said drop seat being free at the upper end and terminating substantially at the waistline of the garment, loops at the lateral portions of the drop seat situated substantially at the waistline of the drop seat, said loops having transversely extending slots with bights at the upper ends of the same, belt straps attached to the garment substantially at the waistline, one on each side of the garment, said straps beingeach threaded through the slot of a loop, the upper edges of the straps being adapted to be engaged by said bights of the loops, said straps being adapted to be moved together forwardly to bring the drop seat into closing position, fastening means at the for connecting the same together, guard members, one on each of the belt straps, said guard members each having parts adapted to extend through the slots of the loops when the drop seat is in closing position, said parts having edges following along the upper edges of the belt straps and adapted to engage the bights of the loops for transferring the pull from the drop seat to the belt straps in a manner to prevent roping of the belt straps, and stops at the ends of said edges of theguards and extending laterally outwardly of said edges of I.

said parts for retaining the loops in position on the guards.

4. A garment including a trouser portion having a rear opening therein, a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering said opening,

said drop seat being free at the upper end and terminating substantially at the waistline of the garment, loops at the lateral portions of the drop seat situated substantially at the waistline of the drop seat, said loops having transversely extend- 9 ing slots with bights at the upper ends of the same, belt straps attached to the garment substantially at the waistline, one on each side of the garment, said straps being each threaded through the slot of a loop, the upper edges of the straps being adapted to be engaged by said bights of the loops, said straps being adapted to be moved together forwardly to bring the drop seat into closing position, fastening means at the free ends of the belt straps together, guard members, one on each of the belt straps. said guard members each having two parallel bars provided with edges extending along the edges of the belt straps and three spaced crossbars providing slots therebetween through which the corresponding belt strap is threaded, certain of said edges being adapted to engage the bights of the loops for transferring the pull from. the drop seat to the belt straps in g a manner to prevent roping of the belt straps.

for connecting the same 5. A garment including a trouser portion having a rear opening therein, a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering said opening, said drop seat being free at the upper end and terminating substantially at the waistline of the garment, loops at the lateral portions of the drop seat situated substantially at the waistline of the drop seat, said loops having transversely extending slots with bights at the upper ends of the same, belt straps attached to the garment substantially at the waistline, one on each side of the garment, said straps being each threaded through the slot of a loop, the upper edges of the straps being adapted to be engaged by said bights of the loops, said straps being adapted to be moved together forwardly to bring the drop seat into closing position, fastening means at the free ends of the belt straps for connecting the same together, guard members, one on each of the belt straps, said guard members each having two parallel bars provided with edges extending along the edges of the belt straps and three spaced crossbars providing slots therebetween through which the corresponding belt strap is threaded, certain of said edges being adapted to engage the bights of the loops for transferring the pull from the drop seat to the belt straps in a manner to prevent roping of the belt straps, and stops issuing outwardly from, the edges of said parallel bars for retaining the loops in position on the guards.

6. A garment including a trouser portion having a rear opening therein, a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering-said opening, said drop seat being free at the upper end. and terminating substantially at the waistline of the garment, loops at thelateral portionsof the drop seat situated substantially at the waistline of the drop seat, said loops having transversely extending slots with bights at the upper ends of the same, belt straps attached to the garment substantially at the waistline; one on each side of the garment, said straps through the slot of a loop, the upper edges of the straps being adapted to be engaged by said bights of the loops, said straps being adapted to be moved together forwardly to bring the drop seat into closing position, fastening means at the along the upper edge of the belt strap for engagement with the upper bight of the loop when the drop seat is in closing position to transfer thelateral pull from the drop seat to the belt straps in a manner to prevent roping of'the belt straps.

'7. A garment including a trouser portion having a rear opening therein, a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering said opening, said drop seat being. free at the upper end and terminating substantially at the waistline of the garment, loops at the lateral portions of the drop seat situated drop seat, said loops having transversely extending slots with bights at the upper ends of the same, belt straps attached to the garment substantially at the waistline, one on each side ,of the garment, said straps being each threaded through the slot of a loop, the upper edges of the straps being adapted to be engaged by said bights 0f the loops, said straps being adapted to be moved together forwardly to bring thedrop being each threaded substantially at the waistline of the the drop seat to the seat into closing position, fastening means at the free ends of the belt straps for connecting the same together, a guard member of rigid material attached to each belt strap transversely thereof, said guard members each having a part for engagement with the upper bights of the loops when the drop seat is in closing position to transfer lateral pull from the drop seat to the belt strap-s, the localities of engagement of the guards with the loops being at the locality of attachment of the guards to the belt straps.

8. A garment including a trouser portion having a'rear opening therein, a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering said opening, said drop seat being free at the upper end and terminating substantially at the waistline of the garment, loops at the lateral portions of the drop seat situated substantially at the waistline of the drop seat, said loops having transversely extending slots with bights at the upper ends of the same, belt siraps attached to the garment substantially at the waistline, one on each side of the garment, said strap-s being each threaded through the slot of a loop, the upper edges of the straps being adapted to be engaged by said bights of the loops, said straps being adapted to be moved together forwardly to bring the drop seat into closing position, fastening means at the free ends of the belt straps for connecting the same together, a guard member of rigid material attached to each belt strap transversely thereof, said guard members. being out of engagement with the loops when the drop seat is in open position and being adapted to be threaded into the slots of the loops when the belt straps are brought into normal position, said guard members having parts for engagement with the loops to transmit the lateral pull from belt straps in a manner to prevent roping of the belt straps, said guard members having converging edges adapted to direct the guard members into the slots of the loops.

9. A garment including a trouser portion hav ing a rear opening therein, a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering said opening, said drop seat being free at the upper end and terminating substantially at the waistline of the garment, loops at the lateral portions of the drop seat situated substantially at the waistline of the drop seat, said loops having transversely extending slots with bights at the upper ends of the same, belt straps attached to the garment substantially at the waistline, one on each side of the garment, said straps being each threaded through the slot of the loop, the upper edges of the straps being adapted to be engaged by said bights of the loops, said straps being adapted to be moved together forwardly to bring the drop seat into closing position, fastening means at the free ends of the belt straps for connecting the same together, members extending across said belt straps at the localities of attachment of the belt straps to the garment, said members each having a tongue following along the respective belt strap and insertable into the slot of the respective loop upon moving the belt straps forwardly toward one another, and means on said members in proximity to the upper edges of the belt straps for engagement with the bights of the respective loops to transmit lateral stress from the drop seat to the loops through said members to prevent roping of the belt straps.

10. A garment including a trouser portion having a rear opening therein, a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering said opening, said drop seat being free at the upper end and terminating substantially at the waist line of the garment, loops at the lateral portions of the drop seat situated substantially at the waistline of the drop seat, said loops having transversely extending slots with bights at the upper ends of the same, belt straps attached to the garment substantially at the waistline, one on each side of the garment, said straps being each threaded through the slot of a loop,-the upper edges of the straps being adapted to be engaged by said bights of the loops, said straps being adapted to be moved together forwardly to bring the drop seat into closing position, fastening means at the free ends of the belt straps for connecting the same together, plate-like members extending across said belt straps at the localities of attachment of the belt straps to the garment, said members each having a tongue following along the respective belt strap and insertable into the slot of the respective loop upon moving the belt straps forwardly toward one an other, and means on said members in proximity to the upper edges of the belt straps for engagement with the bights of the respective loops to transmit lateral siress from the drop seat to the loops through said members to prevent roping of the belt straps, said members at the ends of said tongues having portions extending outward- 1y from said tongues for engagement with said loops to limit longitudinal relative movement between said loops and members.

11. A garment including a trouser portion having a rear opening therein, a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering said opening, said drop seat being free at the upper end and terminating substantially at'the waistline of the garment, loops at the lateral portions of the drop seat situated substantially at the waistline of the drop seat, said loops having transversely extending slots with bights at the upper ends of the same, belt straps attached to the garment substantially at the waistline, one on each side of the garment, said straps being each threaded through the slot of a loop, the upper edges of the straps being adapted to be engaged by said bights of the loops, said straps being adapted to be moved together forwardly to bring the drop seat into closing position, fastening'means at the free ends of the belt straps for connecting the same together, members extending across said belt straps at the localities of attachment of the belt straps to the garment, said members each having a tongue following along the respective belt straps and insertable into the slot of the respective loop upon moving the belt straps forwardly toward one another, means on said members in proximity to the upper edges of the belt straps for engagement with the bights of the respective loops to transmit lateral stress from the drop seat to the loops through said members to prevent roping of the belt straps, and stops extending laterally outwardly beyond the lateral edges of said tongues for engaging said loops to limit longitudinal relative movement between said loops and members.

12. A garment including a trouser portion having a rear opening therein, a drop seat connected to the trouser portion and covering said opening, said drop seat being free at the upper end and terminating substantially at the waistline of the garment. loops at the lateral portions of the drop seat situated substantially at the her extending across each belt strap at the 10- waistline of the drop seat, said loops having I cality of attachment of the belt straps to the transversely extending slots with bights at the garment, said guard members having a part exupper ends of the same, belt straps attached to tending along the upper edge of the belt straps the garment substantially at the waistline, one 5 for engagement with the upper bight of the loop on each side of the garment, said straps being when the drop seat is in closing position to each threaded through the slot of a loop, the up transfer the lateral pull from the drop seat to per edges of the straps being adapted to be enthe belt straps in a manner to prevent roping gaged by said bights of the loops, said straps of the belt straps, said guard members being of being adapted to be moved together forwardly l0 sufiicient rigidity to resist bending due to the to bring the drop seat into closing position, fasstresses imparted to them by the drop seat of the tening means at the free ends of the belt straps garment.

for connecting the same together, a guard mem- ERICK O. FELLROTH. 

